Old MacDonald's Farm, the longtime petting zoo and family attraction on FM 1960 E. in Humble, is shutting its gates for good at the end of November. The farm announced the closure in a Facebook post, saying the decision followed the passing of founder Donald Wilkerson earlier this year.
The attraction will stay open daily during its normal business hours through the end of the month, and all reservations booked through Nov. 30 will continue as scheduled, according to Community Impact. Donald and Susanne Wilkerson first opened the farm in Humble in March 1991, building it into a staple stop for Lake Houston-area families over three decades. Farm officials said the legacy Donald built and the memories made there will remain, even as the business closes its doors.
A Family Operation Built Over Decades
The farm grew into a sprawling attraction packed with 12 petting zoo barns housing animals including sheep, goats, llamas, pigs, tortoises and cows, per the same account. Visitors could also ride a train that circles most of the property, take a spin on the ponies, cool off in a seasonal swimming pool, and let kids loose on several playgrounds.
A 2022 Community Impact profile noted that Donald and Susanne Wilkerson remained part owners while handing day-to-day operations to their son Mitchell, who took over running and managing the facility. That same profile detailed the farm's 12 petting zoo barns and its menagerie of sheep, goats, llamas, pigs, tortoises and cows, underscoring how little the farm's core offerings changed in the years since.
Thanking a Community After Decades of Visits
Farm officials thanked community members for more than 34 years of support in announcing the closure, a sentiment echoed in coverage from FOX 26 Houston, which quoted the farm's statement that the business had been fortunate enough to be part of the incredible community. The station's report reinforced that the closure brings an end to a run that spanned more than three decades of birthday parties, school field trips, and weekend family outings.
Not every account agrees on exactly when the farm's story began. Community Impact has reported the farm opened in March 1991, founded by Donald and Susanne Wilkerson, while a City Lifestyle profile describes the farm as founded in 1990 by the same husband-and-wife team. The farm's own history page, meanwhile, credits its 1991 opening to the efforts of Don Allen and Susanne Wilkerson rather than Donald Wilkerson. Hoodline could not independently resolve these discrepancies.
What Visitors Will Miss
A City Lifestyle feature once described the property as a 15-acre farm amusement park with dozens of friendly animals, playgrounds, a swimming pool and a sightseeing train, capturing the sprawling, hands-on appeal that drew generations of area families through its gates. The farm at 3203 FM 1960 E. was a longtime destination and community fixture for area families.
With the closure now set for the end of November, families hoping for one more visit still have time to make it out, since the farm says it will remain open daily during normal business hours through the end of the month and will continue to honor every reservation already on the books through Nov. 30.
